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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23993404">Two Of A Kind</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FiloX/pseuds/FiloX'>FiloX</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shameless (US), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>But with a happy ending, Contains Fanart, Forced Prostitution, Knotting, M/M, Protective Mickey Milkovich, Rape/Non-con Elements, please heed the warnings, space mafia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:01:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,670</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23993404</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FiloX/pseuds/FiloX</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After Order 66, the Jedi were a rare breed. Especially young Padawans like Cal Kestis, who was captured by the slavers and sold as a rare commodity to the highest bidder. Cal thought his life would end as a slave, until he met a certain space thug.</p><p>(AKA Cal needs a male romantic interest, and thank goodness his actor played in another show with the perfect one)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cal Kestis/Mickey Milkovich, Cal Kestis/Original Male Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Star Wars Big Bang 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Two Of A Kind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Kudos to my beta <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/eowynlotr08">eowynlotr08</a> for doing such a wonderful job ironing out the mistakes, and to my artist <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hero_Thief">Hero_Thief</a> who made the gorgeous cover art for this fic! Check out his art blog: <a href="http://hero-thief.tumblr.com/">hero-thief.tumblr.com/</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> A long time ago in a galaxy far far away... </em>
</p><p>
  <em> There were people whose fates were entwined by a mysterious energy that binds the galaxy, that its inhabitants called The Force. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The people who were entwined would often get surreal visions of their other half throughout their lives, often in their moments of vulnerability. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> They are a Force dyad. </em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Mickey Milkovich was many things.</p><p>The meanest kid in the school yard.</p><p>The most dangerous thug in the South Devena system.</p><p>The best fighter in the Syndicate.</p><p>He spent most of his life building up a name like that for himself, because he knew in this lawless part of the galaxy, being ruthless and violent was the only way to survive.</p><p>Growing up in the Syndicate certainly didn't help.</p><p>Mickey had learned to fend for himself from a young age. Trust no one, he was taught, not even his blood. His father was ruthless even to his own offspring. His siblings - perhaps deep down there was love - but his father was so good at isolating and pitting them against each other that as they grew older, they grew apart. He had never given any fucks about any other people in this galaxy before, ever. He was already busy enough just looking after himself.</p><p>And that's why he was having trouble comprehending his current predicament:</p><p>Running through fire and explosions in an entertainment club, dragging behind him a slave Jedi boy.</p><p>Since he was also currently running for his life, he decided to file this conundrum to the back of his mind for now. He would worry about it <em> after </em> he had managed to survive first.</p><p>"Thank you Mickey." The red-haired Jedi boy said to him, after they had finally escaped from the fire and brimstones, and were now both crouched behind a durasteel wall.</p><p>The Jedi's words knocked Mickey's buzzing mind out from the fight and flight mode, right into the incomprehensible logic-defying situation he was in once again. <em> What was he thinking?? </em> "I didn't do it for you ok. You just happened to be the most valuable asset in there, and I just didn't want to come out there fucking empty handed." That's it. That's the most logical explanation for his action, there! He gets to keep his mean facade once again.</p><p>But the red-headed boy just laughed.</p><p>"Mickey, you are the kindest person I’ve ever met."</p><p>That was the last thing Mickey had wanted to hear.</p><p>All of this, the attack on Mickey's persona, it all began with a simple job from the Syndicate.</p><p>Some low life from one of the planets under the Syndicate's rule had crossed a hard line, and Mickey was sent to take care of them. i.e. destroy them and their livelihood. Which happened to be a brothel in the guise of a famous night club in the district.</p><p>It was simple, Mickey had done plenty of operations like this in the past. Infiltrate the security team, figure out all the loopholes,  bring in his men to storm it when they least expect it. Destroy the place from inside out. It was the bread and butter for the Milkovich way of life - causing terror and chaos. That would teach anyone who had ever wanted to cross the Syndicate a harsh lesson they would certainly never forget.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Security Mickey was great at his job. Beating up people who were causing trouble was his speciality. Sure they didn’t have security cameras inside the rooms for customer's privacy, but the doors were made to be thin, and Mickey could always tell when there was trouble within. Roughening up people who were trying to cause permanent damage to the goods gave Mickey some form of satisfaction when he was beating their faces in. These bastards deserved it. Mickey hated to admit it, but it filled him with a sense of righteousness he didn't often feel in his line of work.</p><p>One day he was stationed outside a particularly secluded part of the building. This room seemed to be kept away from the main area, deep in the back, like some kind of deep dark secret. Mickey had only seen clients come in and out, but he had never seen what was kept within. He assumed whomever inside must be the most prized commodity of this joint.</p><p>Maybe it was a super rare species from some secluded planet somewhere in the Outer Rim or something.</p><p>Mickey had rarely ever heard any altercations coming from this room. That was rare. Maybe it was someone particularly well trained. </p><p>Talk about never; one day Mickey heard one of the most horrible sounds in the galaxy coming from this room - the sound of bone cracking and a blood-curdling cry like an animal was being slaughtered. Mickey palmed open the door with his override security code and with a stun blaster in hand, expecting a heavily damaged merchandise, and a bastard client he will need to roughen up and make to pay for his damages. Instead, he came to a scene of a terrified greasy old man clutching his broken arm and cowering on the floor, at the feet of a fiery red-headed boy looking in all his glory like a vengeful angel in his blood splattered white gown. He couldn't be any older than 15. Mickey noticed the boy was also sporting a thin braid behind his right ear.</p><p>"Wha-what's happening here?" Mickey was stunned. "Did you do this?"</p><p>A pair of angry green eyes snapped towards him. "I didn't want him touching me." His voice was surprisingly deep for his baby-face.</p><p>"Well tough luck princess, that's kinda your job here."</p><p>"It's not like I'm here willingly!" the boy replied angrily.</p><p>Only then did Mickey notice the heavy chains and cuffs encircling the boy's wrists, the slave mark on his forearm, and an intricate collar around his neck.</p><p>A slave. Of course.</p><p>“I apologise for my merchandice’s insolence.” A commanding voice boomed from the doorway. “It appears the drug we gave him today didn’t last as long as intended.” A heavy hand nudged Mickey out of the way as the rest of the security team arrived to take care of the situation.  It appeared that an alarm going off in this particular room brings even the presence of the boss. His henchmen quickly held the boy immobile.</p><p>"What kind of service is this! I need to be compensated for this!" the greasy old man demanded, suddenly gaining his courage and voice back now that the threat appeared to be contained, and that he had been given some basic first aid and pain relief. The boss placated the client expertly and smoothed over the situation.</p><p>Meanwhile, one of his co-workers whispered to Mickey. "He really knows how to take someone down, not surprising since he was one of those traitor Jedi."</p><p><em> A Jedi </em>? Mickey was stunned. "I thought they were supposed to be extinct years ago?"</p><p>"Not in this part of the galaxy,” his colleague whispered in a conspiracal tone, like he was sharing the secret of the century. “They are valuable commodities in the slave trade now. Especially the young ones like him. There's plenty of perverts with too much money who would pay anything to get their hands on them these days." </p><p>Mickey couldn’t help the look of disgust flashing across his face.</p><p>After the client was finally escorted out of the room with a satisfied smirk on his face, the boss turned back to the boy and backhanded him. Mickey watched as a thin line of blood started to drip from the cut on the young Jedi's lip. The man grabbed the boy's chin and forced him to face him. "When will you learn, Cal? You know doing things like this does not change your situation one bit. It will only make it worse." He wiped away the blood on Cal's lip with his thumb with feigned tenderness. "You are one of my best whores here, I'd be devastated if I have to kill you."</p><p>Cal spat in his face. "I would prefer death actually."</p><p>The man's demeanor darkens as he wiped the spit from his face. “Or do you want me to sell you back to the people I bought you from?” His thumb moved to trace a scar on Cal’s lip, and the boy visibly flinched. "Or maybe I should turn you over to the Empire finally and be rid of this trouble? I heard… as I have told you many times… that they torture Jedi to insanity.” He paused, and pretended to ponder over this thought, “But that would be bad for business… how about I let you have a tiny taste of that again, since you have so clearly forgotten since your last lesson."</p><p>Cal was quiet. Mickey would see real fear now in those expressive green eyes, and the slight trembling of his body.</p><p>"Must be an expired vial." The boss said nonchalantly as he ordered a few guards to hold the boy down on the bed as a droid gave him a shot of something. The boy didn't even put up a fight, he seemed resigned to his fate. Suppose this kind of situation must have happened to him many, many times before. The drug worked quickly and soon took the fire out of his eyes. He couldn't even stand up anymore.</p><p>Mickey exited the room with the rest of the crew, but before the door closed, he saw an IT-O interrogator droid hover over Cal. He felt his stomach drop, there was never a more terrible torture device than this droid in the galaxy.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Since then, Mickey hadn't been able to get this red haired Jedi boy named Cal out of his head.</p><p>Seeing him brought back one of his strangest memories that had felt more like a dream.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Mickey Milkovich had his first vision when he was 10 years old, bruised and bleeding, crying in his room. He had just received a beating from his father, for another one of his perceived failings. He was startled to feel a gentle touch to his hair. That's when he first met the red haired little boy, who can't be any older than 5 years old, standing in front of him, seemingly materialised out of nowhere. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> While Mickey stared at him stunned, the small boy reached out his hand and touched Mickey's bruised and bleeding cheek. Mickey felt warmth spread along his skin, and soon the pain was gone. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "What did you do?" Mickey asked the boy in wonder. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "I just learned how to heal with the Force!" The boy replied proudly. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Where did you learn to do that?" </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "At the Temple." </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The same ginger red hair. Could they be the same person? Mickey only had these visions for a year before they completely stopped. Sadly they never got to ask each other’s names, and that was over a decade ago...</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Mickey was at Cal's door, once again. It was a few days before Cal was able to take clients again after his recent punishment. It was his break time, fortunately client free. It seemed the drug had worn off enough that the Jedi appeared relatively alert.</p><p>Cal saw him enter and instinctively tensed, watching him warily with his wide green eyes.</p><p>"I won't hurt you. I'm just bringing you something." Mickey showed the object in his hand to prove his truthfulness.</p><p>The Jedi boy eyed the object suspiciously. Then his gaze shifted to take in the tattoo over Mickey’s knuckles, which said ‘FUCK U-UP’ written in the universal Aurebesh. The boy raised an eyebrow.</p><p>"It's just a puzzle.” Mickey said, pointedly ignoring that look, feeling judged. “You know, something to occupy your time with. Can't be much to do around here if you are stuck in this room all day."</p><p>The red-headed boy carefully approached Mickey, stared at him like he had grown a second head. Mickey felt like he was trying to tame a wild animal. </p><p>“Why are you being so nice to me?” Cal’s narrowed green eyes were full of distrust and caution, still staying a couple meters away from him.</p><p>Mickey chewed on his bottom lip, after some hesitation, decided to tell him the truth. “You remind me of someone I used to know, “ he glanced at Cal, wondering how much he should divulge without sounding nutty. “He had red hair too, and he’s a Jedi.”</p><p>He saw the piercing green eyes widen in surprise. “What’s his name?” Cal asked suspiciously.</p><p>“This might sound crazy but… I used to get these... visions? He would just appear in front of me at times,” Mickey shifted uncomfortably under the intense scrutiny. “It was a long time ago and we were little… I never got to ask his name.”</p><p>How stupid of them, all those times and they never asked for each other’s names. Now the Jedi was going to think he was crazy and lying.</p><p>Instead the boy had only exclaimed in excitement, “No way. A dyad!”</p><p>“A what?” Now it was Mickey’s turn to be puzzled.</p><p>“I’ve only read about those in ancient texts,” Cal explained, with a faraway look in his eyes. “Some Force users have a bond that unify them as one, and they can communicate with each other through space and time - can see each other even if they are far apart. Kind of romantic isn’t it.” he chuckled to himself and turned his gaze to Mickey once again, “Which means you are probably Force sensitive.”</p><p>That startled Mickey, “I… I am?”</p><p>“And if you were born in the inner rim systems, you would probably have been brought to the Temple and trained as a Jedi...”</p><p>Mickey was stunned, his mouth agape.</p><p>“...and would have been killed like the rest of them,” Cal whispered. “Or ended up like me.” He sat back down on the bed, dejected.</p><p>Mickey felt sorry for the young Jedi. He knew what losing his family felt like.</p><p>“Here,” He extended his hand with the puzzle towards the boy.</p><p>Cal was much less guarded than before their exchange, and curiosity eventually got the better of him. He finally reached out and took the puzzle from the black-haired boy's hand.</p><p>Mickey smiled as he watched Cal's face pinch in concentration as he tried to solve the puzzle piece, the initial fear and distrust of Mickey's presence, and his previous glum mood seemed all but forgotten by a simple little toy. He really was still just a child at heart, or maybe he just couldn’t stand the boredom anymore.</p><p>Mickey couldn't help but feel a little giddy inside when he saw the look of victory spread across Cal's face when he finally solved the puzzle.</p><p>“Pardon my rudeness. I wish we had met under better circumstances.” The Jedi boy finally extends a hand towards Mickey, “My name is Cal Kestis.”</p><p>“Mickey Milkovich.” </p><p>Being this close to Cal, Mickey had finally noticed the faint scars that seemed to litter the boy’s face and body. These were the type of scars that indicated the wounds had been left to fester for far too long before being applied bacta. </p><p>Cal must have noticed his stare, as he went on to explain seemingly nonchalantly, “They really hated the Jedi, the people Vir bought me from. They were just going to torture me to death I think, until Vir changed their mind with the ridiculous amount of credits he offered.” Cal held out his cuffed wrists, and Mickey could see thick scars peeking from beneath. “The worst are my wrists. I was told the bones were showing before they put me in the bacta tank. I don’t remember much of it since I was barely conscious by then.”</p><p>Mickey didn't know what was more chilling - the knowledge of what Cal had already been through even before this, or the almost emotionless way he had recounted them.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Since then, Mickey would pay many more visits to Cal's room, under the guise of routine inspection - which <em> was </em>part of his job - to give him more small pieces of the outside world to cheer him up. They may have even become some sort of friends.</p><p>It appeared Cal quite enjoyed his company too, not that he had any say in most of his options. Mickey found out that Cal had been here for over two years now, and the collar he wore around his neck inhibited his connection to the Force. “It feels like I’m missing a limb,” Cal had told him. Mickey winced at that, he didn’t think he ever wanted to find out what that felt like. </p><p>In turn, Cal learned about Mickey - although a slightly altered version so as not to let slip of his actual undercover mission.</p><p>He also learnt that the drugs given to Cal not only makes him docile, but it was also taking away his memories piece by piece. “There are gaps in my memories now. I think I’ve forgotten half of my training.” Cal had told him dishearteningly. “At this rate, all I’m going to remember is how to be a whore.” </p><p>Life really wasn't fair. Mickey thought. Jedi were supposed to be almighty, superior beings with this magical Force, wielding limitless powers and deadly lightsabers. An untouchable and unattainable perfection. Yet here was one of them, battered, broken, a plaything for anyone who can pay.</p><p>And also at the mercy of the guards when he was too drugged up to fight back. He knew that some of his fellow guards would go into Cal's room when there were no clients, to take advantage of his drugged state. Not caring that Cal was just a child, and a slave. Maybe <em> because </em> he was a slave with no right to his own body.</p><p>Mickey bore witness to one such occasion, and it took every ounce of his strength to stop his anger driving him to do something he regretted. He was supposed to gain these people's trust, not to ruin them just to satisfy his own sense of righteousness. Even though the drugs seem to make Cal respond positively to whatever attention that was given to him, Mickey thought he saw Cal's unfocused green eyes on him, silently pleading with him to stop the desecration of his body by the rough men above him.</p><p>It took weeks for Mickey to stop seeing the blood on Cal's thigh and his large watery green eyes after the incident and feeling the guilt twist in his gut like a knife.</p><p>Mickey gritted his teeth and doubled down his effort to infiltrate the security system to bring down this entire operation.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>When the day finally arrived, Mickey made a calculated trip to one of the vaults before heading straight to Cal’s room. Luckily, Cal was alone, but appeared drugged as he laid bonelessly on the bed.</p><p>Mickey took out his pre-prepared hypospray with the antidote. As the bed was large and Mickey had to get to Cal’s neck to give him the injection, he decided the most efficient position would be obtained by climbing over the Jedi boy.</p><p>Just then, Cal opened his wide but unfocused green eyes. Mickey was not prepared when Cal encircled his arms over his neck and pulled him down for a passionate kiss. In fact, Mickey fell right onto Cal, probably knocking the breath out of both of them. Even then, Cal continued his attack on Mickey’s mouth and Mickey was frozen for what felt like a full minute before his limbs remembered how to move again. “Cal, stop,” he said as he tried to pull out of the redhead’s arms.</p><p>Fortunately, the drugs also made Cal very compliant and he obeyed immediately. Mickey was flustered, he would even bet he was as red as a Sith’s lightsaber right now, but there was no time to catch his breath, given he was on a countdown. </p><p>The antidote started to work immediately as he gave it to Cal. He stood awkwardly to the side of the bed as the Jedi slowly woke from his drugged haze. “Mickey?” Cal said in surprise as he looked at him groggily from the bed. Mickey hoped that meant he did not remember the inopportune kiss. </p><p>“Here,” he tossed a metal contraption to Cal, who caught it reflexively. </p><p>“My lightsaber!” Cal’s eyes were wide with surprise. “How-”</p><p>Mickey shook his head, “There’s no time, can you get yourself out of these now?” he pointed towards the chains.</p><p>The Jedi nodded, and in a flurry of blue lights, the cuffs around Cal’s wrists fell to the floor in pieces.</p><p>Mickey remembered to close his mouth that was hanging open in awe when Cal turned to him, “Do you happen to have the code to open this too?” he pointed at his Force-inhibiting collar. </p><p>“Can’t you just do what you did with the cuffs?”</p><p>“Can’t, it’ll fry my brain if I try.” </p><p>“We’ll think of a way later. Come on, we’ve got to leave.” Mickey tossed Cal some more modest pieces of clothing to wear which the red-headed boy accepted gratefully. Then he trustingly let Mickey grab his hand and ran.</p><p> </p><p>And that was how Mickey the Syndicate thug got here, crouched behind a durasteel wall, next to a Jedi, being called ‘kind’. </p><p>“You are free to go now,” Mickey told the Jedi, after finally finishing answering the boy’s billion questions about his actual mission and the Syndicate. The explosions had long since settled and he stood to leave, planning to join the rest of his gang. </p><p>Although he was half glad to see the Jedi boy had decided to follow him, he still had to pretend to spat out an exasperated “What?”</p><p>“Well, aren’t you going to help me get this collar off?” Cal pointed to the Force-inhibition collar still locked around his neck. “Because there is no way I could do it myself.”</p><p><em> Damn those puppy eyes. </em> Mickey felt himself cave immediately. Looks like Cal will be coming with him to the Syndicate headquarters afterall, because he could only think of one person who could work with things like this.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>After a thankfully uneventful trip back to Alpha Major, Mickey took Cal to his only trusted medic - RK800 - a specialised medical droid that owed him a favour. </p><p>“Your secret is safe with me, sir,” said the droid. He was able to disarm and remove the Force-inhibition collar from around the boy’s neck with robotic precision. </p><p>The rush of the Force surging through the young Jedi’s senses nearly overwhelms him. He exclaimed excitedly, “I almost forgot what this felt like!” </p><p>Mickey watched Cal close his eyes with a blissed look and his whole body seemed to glow. When he finally opened his eyes again, there was a calm in his sea-green eyes that weren’t present before. Two years was a long time to be deprived of a sense you have had your entire life.</p><p>The Jedi was now looking at Mickey with such gratefulness that it was making the outlaw uncomfortable. “Thank you Mick.” Mickey had to look away when Cal smiled brightly at him. </p><p>“Don’t mention it.” He said dismissively, gesturing for Cal to get off the examination bed and get going.</p><p>“Wait.”</p><p>Mickey paused at the door.</p><p>“Can you...” Cal looked at the RK800 apprehensively. “Can you get rid of this tattoo as well?” He held out his arm with the slaver’s insignia still etched on his skin.</p><p>Mickey couldn’t help but wince when he saw the thick scars again.</p><p>“I’m afraid it is not possible with the type of pigment used,” RK800 said apologetically. “But I can cover it up with a different design if you like?”</p><p>“Yes please!”</p><p>Within minutes, the slaver insignia was transformed into a stylish angular tattoo. “Kind of looks like a lightsaber hilt doesn’t it?” Cal was beaming. “I like it. Thanks!” Finally the boy joined Mickey at the door after bowing sincerely at the droid and expressing his gratitude.</p><p>“I will now execute a wipe of the past 90 minutes of my memory.” RK800 inclined his head in return and said to them in parting.</p><p>Got to love that about droids. They sure can keep a secret.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Now that the Jedi was completely free, Mickey figured Cal would want to leave and go to wherever his people were hiding these days. He even tossed him a credit chip after the medbay trip, thinking Cal was probably just too proud to ask him for credits to get on the next ship offplanet. But Cal made no move to leave. Instead, he shadowed Mickey all day like a lost puppy. It began to dawn on Mickey that maybe the boy had nowhere to go, that he had no one left he could turn to in this wide galaxy.</p><p>“Where are the other Jedi? Surely some survived just like you.” Mickey asked.</p><p>“I don’t know.” Cal shrugged.</p><p>“Can’t you find them with your Force thing?”</p><p>Cal shook his head, “Not when everyone is actively shielding their presence to hide from the Empire.”</p><p>“So what’s your plan? Just follow me around like a puppy?”</p><p>“I’ll earn my keep! Surely there are open positions in your Syndicate? Maybe I can be your bodyguard or something.”</p><p>Mickey scoffed before catching himself, remembering how Cal handled a lightsaber… that despite his harmless appearance he was actually a Jedi, a warrior of the Republic past, and likely received combat training all his life. He could probably take on Mickey in hand-to-hand combat with ease. Sure he may be scrawny, baby-faced, and looked as harmless as a kitten, but appearances can be very deceiving. That could probably be worked to his advantage.</p><p>“So what do you say? We can be a team, you be the brains and I’ll be the brawn,” suggested Cal, elbowing Mickey tentatively in the side.</p><p>Mickey grinned despite himself, what a deceiving team they would make indeed.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>And great partners in crime they did make. Over the next two years, Mickey completed one successful mission after another for the Syndicate. His reputation within the Syndicate steadily grew, and he was rising through the ranks like an unstoppable force. The more senior members of the Syndicate either viewed him as a threat they needed to take down, or as a powerful ally they needed to side with - knowing him being a Milkovich meant he had more chance to be next in line to succeed the Syndicate. The boss was his father after all. Despite his general disinterest and cruelty towards his children, even the most ruthless of predators have instincts that were difficult to erase.</p><p>Despite all these, the most startling change Mickey had noticed was in Cal. The kid must have hit a growth spurt in the past two years, as he now towered over Mickey. Fading was the puppy soft face, and in its place a young man was emerging, with more angular features forming from the curves. </p><p>He was handsome. </p><p>Mickey was startled at his own thought. Cal was no longer the kid he had rescued, but becoming a man.</p><p>He had grown out of his childish hairstyle with the bang, and was now wearing his hair combed back. He wore a leather cuff around his right wrist and a glove on the other, effectively hiding the thick scars on his wrists, but also proudly displaying the tattoo he had obtained from RK800. Cal had told him the glove was so that he didn’t get overwhelmed by sensory information from just touching things. Another one of his many mystical Force powers, Mickey had been told.</p><p>As Mickey noticed Cal’s blossoming good looks, so did others. One particular Syndicate lieutenant - Fias Sathel - seemed relentless in his pursuit. Whether for political gain or just out of pure lust, Cal wasn’t sure, but he had always easily deflected them with a polite but firm rejection. The lieutenant wasn’t a bad looking man, but he had eyes of a predator that sent chills down Cal’s spine. He had seen those kinds of eyes only too often in the past.</p><p>Besides, his heart only belonged to one person. Even though that person didn’t know.</p><p>He was happy to just be able to stand beside this person and be their armour, their weapon, their confidant. </p><p>He thought his life couldn’t be better at this point. </p><p>Until one evening at a Syndicate upper members’ gathering, Fias cornered him in the refresher and locked the door. </p><p>Cal looked up from the wash basin at the intrusion. He wasn’t scared. He knew he could easily overpower the lieutenant in combat. “Can I help you?” he asked.</p><p>Fias smiled charmingly, “I know all about you, <em> Jedi </em>.”</p><p>Cal froze, but he hoped he had caught himself soon enough that his slight stiffening of posture went unnoticed. “Don’t know what you are smoking, but I’ve got to go, if you excuse me.” He turned to leave, but the lieutenant wasn’t finished. </p><p>“You were a slave that Mickey rescued. Imagine what the Empire would do to a Jedi sympathiser.”</p><p>“Again, I don’t know what you’re on about.” Cal schooled his expression into an appropriate look of exasperation, despite the rising panic in his chest. He reached towards the door, but Fias grabbed his wrist and roughly spun him around. Cal was about to deck him to the floor when the man uttered out a name that stopped him in his tracks.</p><p>“Padawan of the late Master Jaro Tapal.” Fias sneered, knowing he had hit his mark. “You didn’t think I would have solid evidence before I made an accusation like this?” </p><p>Cal struggled in his grip but Fias held on tight.</p><p>“And before you think about killing me, don’t you think I’ve made backup plans for this to be leaked to the Empire if I come to any harm?” There was a look of pure victory across the lieutenant's face when Cal stopped struggling.</p><p>“What do you want?”</p><p>Fias smirked trumpantly. “For a whore to be in their rightful place, on their knees.”</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Afterwards, when his cheeks were burning with shame, he decided that Mickey would never know of this. He would protect Mickey at all cost. He would take care of this.</p><p>But Mickey noticed a change in Cal. His red-headed friend was no longer rejecting advances from that lieutenant he had always been avoidant of. </p><p>Just the opposite, Cal seemed to be spending more and more time with Fias, and less and less with Mickey. Mickey was confused, and when he confronted Cal regarding this, they had only ended up in a fight.</p><p>Cal was focused on his mission. He knew what he had to do to end this threat for Mickey once and for all. He had to distance himself from Mickey for the time being, and he did so with a heavy heart, hoping Mickey wouldn’t be too hurt by this.</p><p>The first time Fias took him to his house Cal had been excited, as he was one vital step closer towards executing his final plan. However what followed was a nightmare. The lieutenant had fucked him for the first time, and the boy realised why he had not done so earlier in all the other places Cal was forced to spend time with him.</p><p>Fias cuffed Cal to his bed, face down, prepped him and then entered him. It wasn’t until the man reached his climax that Cal realised why he’d had him restrained. The base of Fias’s cock expanded slowly and steadily, until Cal couldn’t help but let out a pained cry. </p><p>He was being knotted. His body involuntarily tried to move away from the source of pain, but the cuffs prevented his escape, and the lieutenant held him down with his own heavily built body, stroking his back and hushing him like he was some kind of pet, “You’ll only hurt yourself more Cal, just try to relax.” </p><p>But he couldn’t relax, not when his body felt like it was being split in two. </p><p>It wasn’t the first time Cal was knotted, but it was the first time when his senses weren't being dulled by drugs. </p><p>He felt himself screaming desperately for Mickey in his mind. And to his horror, he thought he heard Mickey respond back. <em> Cal? </em> He brought shields up around his mind at that very second, hoping against hope that Mickey did not just sense what was happening to him through whatever connection they just had.</p><p>He was in so much pain that he felt like he was dying. What was worse was that it brought back all the memories of tortures he had endured in the past, and they plunged him into a deep fear that had him hyperventilating uncontrollably. </p><p>Amongst the terror of it all and in great embarrassment he heard himself choke out a plea, “P-please, stop...” His voice shook in his distress.</p><p>Fias chuckled and stroked Cal’s hair like he was an ignorant child. “You know the physiology doesn’t work that way. I can’t control it, but it will go down in an hour.” </p><p><em> An hour! </em>Cal could only feel despair. </p><p>Unexpectedly, Fias reached towards the bedside drawer and retrieved a small hypospray. “Despite what you think, Cal, I am not a cruel man,” he cooed beside Cal’s ear and kissed at his tears, and finally, injected the hypospray into the boy’s arm. The fact that Cal had finally broken down and pleaded with him seemed to have satisfied him. “This will take the edge off the pain. Later I’ll give you a stim, and you’ll feel brand new again.”</p><p>As he drifted into a drug induced haze, Cal thought he never hated anyone more at that moment.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Like Cal had feared, Mickey was relentlessly seeking him out the next day. He had left a large number of missed calls on his comm the previous night which Cal was too incapacitated to answer anyway.</p><p>“Where were you last night?” The black-haired boy questioned Cal as soon as they were somewhere private.</p><p>“That’s none of your business.” Cal winced inwardly when he saw Mickey visibly flinch at his cold tone.</p><p>“I heard you call my name, you sounded like you were in pain!”</p><p>“You probably just imagined it. I was nowhere near you last night.” Cal dismissed his concern, then, delivered the final nail in the coffin. “If you must know, I was fucking Fias last night.” He saw a few different emotions flicker across Mickey’s face at that moment. Was it surprise? Anger? Hurt? Maybe he was just imagining it. </p><p>“Well fucking excuse me for giving a shit about you.” Mickey stormed out and Cal breathed a sigh of relief.</p><p>He watched his friend’s retreating back and thought he had never loved anyone more at that moment.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Fias seemed to be trusting Cal more and more, as he frequently brought Cal to his house now. It wasn’t always just for fucking either, much to Cal’s relief. Fias seemed to love endlessly telling Cal stories about his younger years starting at the bottom of the Syndicate and working his way up. If Cal hadn’t hated Fias so much, perhaps he would have felt pity towards the man who had sacrificed friendships and families in pursuit of power. He may even have concluded that beneath Fias’ cruelty, there was just a lonely man in desperate need of companionship.</p><p>As he was allowed more and more freedom in Fias’ house, Cal was eventually able to figure out where the lieutenant kept his secrets, thanks to his psychometry abilities. He systematically but inconspicuously destroyed them right under Fias’ nose. </p><p>One day, when Fias was least expecting it, Cal slit his jugular. As the man lay dying on the floor, his hands trying futilely to stem the spurting of blood from his neck, Cal was startled to see the same expressions that had once been on Mickey’s face flickering across Fias’. Surprise, anger, hurt. <em> Betrayal </em>. </p><p>Shaken by his own act of cold-blooded violence, Cal sat next to Fias’ corpse for hours, uncertain of what to do next.</p><p>If Fias had discovered his secret so easily, then it would only be a matter of time before Mickey’s other enemies do the same. He had become a liability rather than an ally to Mickey. He needed to leave.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Cal was missing for days and Mickey was very worried. Ever since he heard the news that Fias’ house had mysteriously burned down three nights ago, and that Fias’ charred body had been found in the remains, he was terrified that Cal had also met the same end.</p><p>On the fourth night when Mickey was just about to go stir crazy, he received a call on his holoprojector from an encrypted sender. He frowned at that but accepted the request anyway and Cal’s image flickered to life in front of him. </p><p>“Cal! Where are you?” Mickey shouted at the hologram. There was a slight interference to the hologram that indicated that Cal was most certainly offplanet.</p><p>“Mick,” Cal ignored his question. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m safe, and… thank you for all that you have done for me.”</p><p>“What are you talking about Cal? Just tell me where you are!”</p><p>Cal shook his head, and looked at Mickey sadly with his large green eyes. “I can’t. I’m leaving the Syndicate. Don’t look for me ok?”</p><p>“Why- what happened Cal?” Mickey asked desperately.</p><p>“I had to do it,” Cal’s soft voice was cracking with emotion. “Fias found out that I’m a Jedi, and he was going to report you to the Empire as a sympathiser. I had no choice.” He ran a shaking hand through his red strands, trying to look anywhere but at Mickey. “I’m sorry, I am a liability to you now. So I have to leave.”</p><p>“Like hell you are!” Mickey yelled. “Just tell me where you are, I’m coming with you.”</p><p>Cal frowned at the unexpected response. “What are you saying Mick…” </p><p>“I said I’m fucking coming with you!” Mickey said with such conviction that Cal felt like his heart was about to burst out of his own chest.</p><p>“But you can’t, the Syndicate is your family-” Cal started, not believing what he was hearing.</p><p>“Screw the Syndicate,” Mickey interrupted him. “You are my fucking family, Cal.”</p><p>Those green eyes were looking suspiciously bright, and Mickey knew Cal would give in.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>That night, Mickey was packed and ready to leave his life behind. It was then he heard the insistent pinging from his holoprojector again, surprised to find this time, it was his estranged siblings. With an exasperated sigh he turned on the projector, and his siblings Mandy and Iggy came into view.</p><p>“Don’t do it Mick.” Mandy, his younger sister, went straight to the point.</p><p>“What, how did you-”</p><p>“Nevermind that brother,” His younger sister impatiently interrupted his question. “Don’t you know what our dad would do to you if you go ahead with this?”</p><p>“I’m not fucking scared of that old man.” Like hell he would let him keep running his life, Mickey thought defiantly.</p><p>“Mickey Milkovich, you know he will send every last one of the Syndicate to kill you and Cal.” Mandy was irritated now, realising she was not getting through his brother’s hotheaded thick skull.</p><p>“If you let Cal go now, we can guarantee his safety. But if he is with you, he will never be safe, and you know it Mick.” Iggy tried to reason with him.</p><p>Mickey threw his arms up in exasperation. “Why are you guys suddenly contacting me now after all those years huh? Never thought we had sibling meetings.”</p><p>“Because we all hate our dad and we need your help to take him down once and for all!”</p><p>Mickey snorted. “As if anyone can ever take that old man down. Leave me out of it.” He shut off the holoprojector. Nothing was changing Mickey’s mind when he had already made it up.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Later when he was at the spaceport, he received another encrypted call on his comm. </p><p>“Mick, I’m sorry. I won’t be there.” Cal’s image appeared in front of him again. His eyes were red-rimmed. “Please listen to your siblings. Goodbye.” And he shut off the connection before Mickey could even reply.</p><p>“Cal! Cal!” He almost smashed his comm in frustration. Damn his meddling siblings!</p><p>When Mickey finally arrived at their meeting point, as expected, Cal was no longer there. Nor did he leave behind any trail for Mickey to follow. </p><p>Cal Kestis had completely disappeared from his life.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>When Mickey eventually returned to Alpha Major, he wallowed in misery for a while, drowning it with alcohol. But Mickey wasn’t stupid. He also had plenty of time to think. The more he calmed his emotions and quietened his mind, and really thought about what his siblings had said, the clearer the blaring truth in their words became.</p><p>It was true. He would never be free to do what he wanted unless he took back full control of his life. And that barrier was their own father.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Sometimes Mickey would wake up in the middle of the night, and thought he could see Cal lying next to him, his features relaxed in sleep. He could even touch him and he felt so real.</p><p>“Mick.” Sometimes, Cal would open his eyes and call out his name with a soft smile. </p><p>Sometimes, he would lean over and kiss Mickey on the lips.</p><p>But in the morning, Mickey would always wake up alone with dried tear tracks on his face. It must be just a dream, he thought. Or maybe like the visions he used to have, of the red-haired child who once healed his wounds.</p><p>Wherever in the galaxy Cal may be now, Mickey hoped that this was his way of telling him that he was ok.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em> 14 BBY </em>
</p><p> </p><p>After a harrowing adventure through the galaxy, Cal Kestis and his new found friends - Cere, Greez, Merrin, and BD-1 - arrived at the secret rebel base on planet Paucris Major, thanks to the coordinates provided by Saw Gerrera. </p><p>A group of rebels were there on the landing pad to meet them. Amongst them, one particular figure caught Cal’s eye. Dark hair, blue eyes, waving at him with a big grin splitting across his face.</p><p>“Mick..” The name came out in a bare whisper as Cal ran towards him. </p><p>Mickey opened his arms wide just as Cal dove into him and enveloped him into a hug. “Easy soldier, you’re gonna break my bones here.” Mickey returned his hug with equal enthusiasm despite his teasing words. “And who’s your droid friend?” He brought to Cal’s attention that his face right now was only inches away from the droid on his shoulder.</p><p>“Oh,” Cal pulled away, a little embarrassed at his unguarded display of emotion. “This is BD-1. BD, this is Mickey, he’s an old friend.” </p><p>The little droid climbed over Cal’s shoulder and shook Mickey’s extended hand with his little robotic foot, while making happy chirping sounds. </p><p>“BD-1 says nice to meet you too.” Cal smiled. </p><p>Rest of Cal’s crew soon joined them, exchanged greetings, then left them alone. Merrin even grabbed the lingering BD-1 off Cal’s shoulder and grinned at him as she said, “Come on BD-1, let’s give them some time to catch up.”</p><p>Finally alone, Cal felt like they were just staring at each other for an insurmountable amount of time, taking in any slight changes in the other’s features over their long year apart. Mickey was the first to break the silence. “So I heard you are a Jedi Knight now, congrats!”</p><p>“Thanks,” Cal grinned. “So how did you end up here?”</p><p>“Long story short, we overthrew dad, so I’m leading the Syndicate now. Decided the rebellion is our new worthy cause.”</p><p>Cal laughed. “So the space thug Mickey Milkovich became a freedom fighter, who would’ve thought!” He then shook his head. “But then again, I did tell you that you are the kindest person I’ve ever met.”</p><p>“Shut up.” Mickey shot back, but he was grinning in spite of himself.</p><p>Cal looked towards the horizon where the sun was now beginning to set. They should probably head into the base soon before it gets to below freezing out here, but there was one more thing he wanted to tell Mickey right now. “I managed to get all my memories back, you know.” He said.</p><p>“Yeah?” the dark-haired man nodded for him to continue.</p><p>“I remember meeting you when I was still in the creche at the Temple.” Cal admitted. “A bully had stolen my stuffed animal, and you told me to kick him in the groin and get it back.” </p><p>Mickey chuckled, “I think I do remember saying something like that.”</p><p>“Anyway, I did it. The creche master was horrified, and asked me where I had learnt such an undignified fighting move,” recounted Cal, laughing. “She was not impressed when I told her it was the ghost boy.”</p><p>After they both finally recovered from being breathless with laughter, Cal concluded, “So I guess we are a Force Dyad.”</p><p>“Yeah.” Mickey agreed with a lingering smile. No wonder they had always felt so in sync with each other, and that their paths kept on crossing. </p><p>And whenever Mickey looked at Cal, he had always felt an invisible pull towards him, to protect, and to cherish. </p><p>To love.</p><p>“You know,” Mickey paused, looking conflicted, but decided to start again. “There’s something I’ve wanted to do for a while.”</p><p>“Yeah?” Cal turned towards him. The setting sun lit up his red hair like it was on fire, as he tilted his head in question. </p><p>The thug-turned-rebel thought that was the most perfect reflection of his heart as it burst into flames, when he pulled the Jedi down for a kiss.</p><p>And if they could hear some whistles and cheers (<em> and was that a chirp? </em>) in the distance, they both chose to ignore it.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p> </p><p>The End</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>One final fanart from me :)</p><p>
  
</p><p>It is cropped as the full image is violent and bloody. If you really want to see all of it, the link is <a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EXITZPOU8AAiIrG?format=jpg&amp;name=large">here</a>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This fic came into being because I had some headcannons about why Cal wore that cuff and glove. Also the disappointment of a lack of a male romantic interest for Cal in the game, led me down the rabbit hole that is the TV series: Shameless (US version), where Cal's actor played Ian Gallagher, who had an epic love storyline with Mickey Milkovich.</p></blockquote><div class="children module" id="children">
  <b class="heading">Works inspired by this one:</b>
  <ul>
    <li>
        <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23988919">Two of a Kind [ARTWORK]</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hero_Thief/pseuds/Hero_Thief">Hero_Thief</a>
    </li>
  </ul>
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